Content:
- Fox Diet
- What Food Can You Feed a Fox?
- The Habitat of the Fox
- Fox Sounds
- Markings and Droppings
- Threats to the Fox
- Are They Dangerous?
- Diseases Foxes May Carry
- Can You Have a Fox as a Pet?
- When to Be Wary of the Fox
- In Summary
The most common place to find foxes is in the United Kingdom, where there is a population of around 258,000 adult foxes roaming the countryside, and in some cases, living in urban areas. They are shy animals generally, but they will come on to your property in search of food or shelter.
If you deal with fox problems, this article brings you useful information about fox diet, what type and kind of food they eat, their habitat, and more.
Fox Diet
Unlike many other wild animals, foxes have a fairly diverse diet. You would think they would be carnivores, but in reality, they are omnivores that eat meat from time to time. They are excellent hunters and will often prey on rabbits and rodents, and the occasional bird if they can catch them.
Foxes also will eat frogs and earthworms, but they like to eat fruit and berries as well. Those foxes that dwell in urban areas will rustle through your trash cans looking for something to eat, which can result in a bit of a mess if you don’t secure your cans properly.
When foxes are babies, called cubs, they are completely blind and deaf at birth and rely solely on the milk produced by the mother. Once they are around four weeks, they can start to eat solid food, and they are usually weaned by the age of twelve weeks.
Here’s a helpful infographic about the fox diet:
What Food Can You Feed a Fox?
It’s not always recommended that you actively feed a fox, but many have found that having foxes feeding on their property can be quite entertaining to watch, especially as they like to play. But, it’s important to know what you can feed them because you don’t want to give them something that could make them sick.
The best food to feed a fox is something that is meat-based, such as raw or cooked meat or even some tinned dog food. Don’t put out too much at once though, or the fox will become a bit too confident and will be a little demanding from then onwards.
Sometimes the fox will take extra food away and store it in their ‘cache’, but it’s best to feed them something they can eat there and then.
You can feed a fox all through the year but it’s a good idea to stick to a feeding routine. This will encourage the fox to come to your yard at more specific times, rather than having the fox hanging around all the time.
Also, if you are leaving food around for the fox, it can encourage other creatures to your gardens which you really don’t want around, such as rats and mice.
Other foods you can put out for the fox are cheese, fruit, and peanuts. These are favorites of many foxes, and they can be given like a treat for the fox. If you do decide to start feeding your local fox make sure you don’t try to tame it. They are wild creatures and should be left to continue their normal behaviors; otherwise, they may get into strife.
They are curious animals but some of your neighbors may mistake their inquisitiveness for aggression if the fox has become too confident around humans.
The Habitat of the Fox
The majority of foxes will stay living in the rural areas where they can carry on naturally without the intervention of humans.
They are great diggers and build burrows called ‘dens’ in the ground so they can live with some level of security from other predators. Occasionally they will live in a sheltered area above the ground, but this is less common.
Fox Sounds
The fox can create up to 28 different sounds using its voice. However, they are usually quiet animals unless it is the breeding season that takes place in winter. There are two common sounds you will hear which are the dog fox (the male) barking sound and the scream that is emitted by the vixen (the female).
The dog fox bark sounds almost identical to your regular dog bark, and they use it to communicate with other foxes.
The scream from the vixen is quite spine-chilling, and it lets the dog foxes know that she is ready and willing to breed. When they are pups, the noises they make are a lot more subtle.
Markings and Droppings
If you are looking for signs of a fox, there are many clues you can follow. The obvious ones are the paw prints they live in wet muddy areas and snow. They have a central pad on their paw which is surrounded by four toe pads, just like a regular dog. Often you can even see the claw marks at the end of the toes.
Some people think they look more like cat paw prints.
The droppings left behind by a fox are quite different from those of a dog.
They are smaller and are usually dark-colored, long, and sort of squiggly. You may even see remnants of their last meal in the droppings such as berry seeds, bits of bone, and animal hair. Like the dog, the fox uses its droppings to mark its territory so it is common to see them out in the open areas.
Threats to the Fox
The biggest threat to the fox is humans, especially gamekeepers. The gamekeepers and farmers will kill the fox to protect their livestock.
Then of course there are the awful fox hunts, where horse riders use dogs to flush out a fox and hunt it down.
Are Foxes Dangerous?
Foxes generally are not dangerous to humans, unless they are cornered and feel threatened. There has been the occasional attack but that is a rarity, and most of them occurred because the fox felt the need to defend itself.
As well as not commonly attacking humans, foxes are also not likely to attack other dogs or pet cats. This is because they don’t see them as prey. If for some reason they do try and attack a dog or cat, they will usually be scared off by the sounds the animals make or the claws of the cat.
Diseases Foxes May Carry
You should never try to pet a fox with your bare hands because you never know if the fox may be carrying a disease that could be transmitted to humans. The most dangerous disease they may carry is rabies. If by some chance you are bitten by a fox you should seek medical attention immediately so the necessary precautions against rabies can be taken.
You can also get sick if you come into contact with the droppings of the fox. Make sure you wear gloves when cleaning up fox droppings in your garden, just as you would if you were cleaning up after your dog. You may not be at risk of the disease in the droppings but your pets may be if they come into contact with them.
One of the worst diseases a fox could carry that may endanger your pet is mange. It won’t kill your pet, but it makes their hair fall out which can be quite distressing for your pooch. Therefore cleaning up after a fox will keep your pets nice and safe.
Can You Have a Fox as a Pet?
Foxes are wild animals, and as such should be left to continue their natural way of life. Any wild animal can be tamed, but it’s not really fair on the animal.
They are born to run free, not live in a caged environment.
By keeping them in your home and treating them as a pet, like your cat or dog, you are interfering with their inbred traits and behaviors.
When to Be Wary of the Fox
If the fox is exhibiting certain signs and behaviors, you should steer clear of it and perhaps contact your local animal rescue services. This is especially important if the fox is posing a threat to small children or pets because this isn’t normal behavior.
You also need to be concerned if the fox looks sick. It may be skinny with its ribs showing, or have weeping eyes and nose. Sometimes they just look unwell, and you will notice them moving more slowly or with some effort. Another sign to watch out for is if the fox is looking rabid.
This means it has rabies, and there will be foaming at the mouth, snarling and growling. If you see these signs, secure yourself and your family away from the fox so it can’t come into contact and notify the animal authorities.
In Summary
Watching a fox playing in the sunshine in your garden can be fun to see, and will put a smile on your face. They are known to play with dog toys, so leaving a ball or something similar out for them to play with can bring hours of joy to the fox and yourself.
There is nothing wrong with putting some food out for a fox as long as your neighbors don’t mind having a fox around. It can be pleasing to see the same fox come back day after day to see what you have left out for it. Just remember, not too much food, and don’t try and pet it.
